Welcome back to the Ravka! Netflix's Shadow and Bone returns to the small screen on March 16, 2023, two years after the smash hit success of the first season. Based on the best-selling books by Leigh Bardugo, it follows the young Alina Starkov, who after years of toiling away as a soldier, finds out that she's not only a Grisha (a human endowed with supernatural abilities) but also one of the rarest in the world, a Sun Summoner. Overnight, Alina's whole world flips upside down. Separating her from her best friend Mal, the army commander General Kirigan, the most powerful of all Grisha, takes Alina to the Little Palace to train her and present her to the nation. But Alina's new status puts a target on her back. A gang of thieves from across the fold called The Crows aim to capture her for a handsome price, and her connection to The Darkling might not be what it seems.

Ravka, a society that draws its inspiration and motifs from old Russia, has been divided by a dark gap called the Fold, a dangerous passage that houses deadly creatures. Alina's existence gives people from both sides of the Fold hope, from Ketterdam (inspired by Amsterdam) to the Ravkan enemy Fjerda (inspired by Norway), some even going so far as to deify her and label her a saint. The world of Shadow and Bone is complex and sprawling, and following the first season's events, Season 2 shows us Alina's journey as she grows into her own. And of course, the series is adding more characters to the large ensemble and adapting more events from the Grishaverse novels. Find out more below about which of your favorite book characters from the Grishaverse are finally making their way into the ensemble and who will be playing them alongside the returning stars.

Mal Oretsev and Alina Starkov aboard a ship in Shadow & Bone Season 2
Image via Netflix

Related:‘Shadow and Bone’ Season 1 Recap: Where We Left the Grishaverse

Jessie Mei Li as Alina Starkov

Jessie Mei Li as Alina in a cropped Character Poster for Shadow and Bone Season-2
Image via Netflix

When we first meet Alina Starkov, she's an orphan mapmaker for the Ravkan army who's always stood apart from the pack thanks to her half-Shu heritage. She joined the Ravkan army alongside her childhood friend (and unrequited crush) Mal, and they are both selected to embark upon an expedition into the Fold in order to redraw old maps. But upon meeting danger in the darkness, Alina's long-dormant abilities make themselves known, and General Kirigan, better known as the Darkling, takes her under his wing to harness her power. She discovers that she's a rare and powerful Sun Summoner who can harness the power of light itself, the complete opposite of General Kirigan. As she grows closer to the Darkling, she develops feelings, but these feelings end up blinding her to his true intentions: to use her power to amplify his own. With the help of a band of thieves named the Crows, Alina and Mal are able to evade the Darkling's clutches in Season 1 and Season 2 sees Alina determined to bring down the Shadow Fold.

Shadow and Bone served as Jessie Mei Li's breakout role. She can also be seen in Edgar Wright's Last Night in Soho, and she will be starring in the upcoming film Havoc opposite Tom Hardy.

Archie Renaux as Mal Oretsev

Archie Renaux as Mal in a cropped Character Poster for Shadow and Bone Season-2
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As Alina's longtime best friend, Mal is very protective of her from the jump, showing his dismay when Alina's group from the Second Army joins his group from The First Army on the expedition. When a flesh-eating volcra attacks them, Alina's abilities protect them. After The Darkling whisks Alina away for training, the two are separated and keep in contact through letters. While with his unit, he spots a magical deer that can amplify a Grisha's abilities called Morozova's stag, and he tells the Darkling about it in exchange for a chance to see Alina again. Unfortunately, the Darkling has him taken away for execution, but he narrowly escapes. Mal and Alina are eventually reunited and try to track down the stag for themselves. However, The Darkling ruins their plans and kills the creature to meld the stag's antlers into him and Alina. Mal saves the day by collaborating with the Crows to release Alina from the Darkling's control. Season 2 sees Mal at Alina's side once more as they prepare to take on the Darkling.

Mal is played by Archie Renaux, who has starred in films like The Greatest Beer Run Ever alongside Zac Efron, and Catherine Called Birdy alongside Bella Ramsey from The Last of Us.

Ben Barnes as General Aleksander Kirigan / The Darkling

Ben Barnes as the Darkling in a cropped Character Poster for Shadow and Bone Season 2
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We are first introduced to the Darkling as General Kirigan, the commander of the Second army. He's most notably a Shadow Summoner, the only one of his kind. In fact, it's revealed that he's one of the oldest Grisha alive, an ancient being responsible for the Fold's existence, and was once known as the Black Heretic. He believes the Grisha should take over the world, vowing vengeance on those who have long suppressed and vilified people like him. Over the centuries, he had become embittered, only to find hope in the rare Sun Summoner Alina Starkov. He draws her in and manipulates her into trusting him. Whether his romantic feelings are true or not, he always intended to use her to further his goals of world domination.

Ben Barnes brings the charismatic Darkling to life, using his boyish charm and penchant for playing rascals to his advantage. Barnes can be seen on HBO's Westworld, Netflix's The Punisher and is widely known for his breakout role as the titular Prince Caspian in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.

Freddy Carter as Kaz Brekker

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The enigmatic ringleader of the Crows and the owner of Ketterdam's Crow Club, Kaz is truly someone not to be trifled with. In the first season, he crosses the Fold with his band of thieves to capture the Sun Summoner for a big payout. Kaz Brekker can't resist a good challenge, and kidnapping Alina is no exception. Kaz may be exacting and detail-oriented, but he does have a compassionate side, which he keeps under wraps. Kaz pays for Inej's freedom from enslavement at the Menagerie, a Ketterdam brothel. At the end of the first season, he decides to help Alina Starkov in her fight against the Darkling.

Freddy Carter has had small roles in Wonder Woman and Pennyworth. He will star in the upcoming Masters of Air alongside Academy Award nominees Austin Butler and Barry Keoghan.

Amita Suman as Inej Ghafa

Amita Suman as Inej in a cropped Character Poster for Shadow and Bone Season 2
Image via Netflix

Formerly enslaved at the Menagerie, where she was sold after being captured by human traffickers, Inej was given a second lease on life thanks to Kaz. Her skills make her an invaluable asset to Kaz and she's one of his most trusted compatriots. Known as the Wraith, Inej earned her nickname because of her reputation for stealth and keen observation. She's loyal, empathetic, and whipsmart. Inej balances Kaz's riskier ideas as the voice of reason among the Crows. She's also the only one in the Crows with religious beliefs, and when they smuggle Alina from the Little Palace, meeting the Sun Saint turns her world upside down.

Amita Suman can also be seen in The Outpost and Netflix's The Sandman. Suman has said that her character will struggle with her faith in Season 2, “She’s been dealt a lot of awful things, and she hasn’t managed to lose faith yet, but that hope is slowly withering away, and it’s taking a little bit of her away as well."

Kit Young as Jesper Fahey

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Jesper is Kaz's wise-cracking childhood friend who's also an excellent sharp-shooter. He can shoot a hole in a coin without even sparing a glance. He's an indispensable member of the Crows but a bit of a loose cannon. Jesper has a penchant for gambling, and he's impulsive and reckless with his money, especially when it comes to card games. He's instrumental in smuggling Alina Starkov from the Little Palace and the fight for her freedom against the revenge-consumed Darkling. In Season 2 season, Kit Young has said that Jesper will “engage with something a little bit deeper this season because his trust is somewhat broken by decisions that his friends make, and that they don’t include him in their decision making.”

Kit Young can be seen in Netflix's The School for Good and Evil, playing the founders of the titular school, twins Rafal and Rhian. He will next star in The Beautiful Game alongside Bill Nighy.

Danielle Galligan as Nina Zenik

Danielle Galligan as Nina in a cropped Character Poster for Shadow and Bone Season 2
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Nina's a Heartrender, a Grisha who can manipulate bodies on a molecular level, one of the most dangerous kinds of Grisha. Recruited by the Second Army for her abilities, she became a spy for the Darkling. While on a mission for the Darkling, Nina is captured and taken as a prisoner by Fjerdan soldiers. She is held captive in a ship with other Grisha prisoners headed towards the Ice Court, Fjerda's (a Norway-inspired nation) military stronghold. There she meets Matthias Helvar and hates him for what he represents, but after they are shipwrecked and leaning on one another for survival, she falls for him. When the Grisha finally track her down, she is forced to betray Mattias to save his life. A more mysterious character in the first season, she joins forces with the Crows in the final episode.

Danielle Galligan previously had roles in Game of Thrones and Hulu's The Great.

Related:'Shadow and Bone' Season 2: Watch the First Seven Minutes

Sujaya Dasgupta as Zoya Nazyalensky

Sujaya Dasgupta as Zoya in a cropped Character Poster for Shadow and Bone Season 2
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Zoya is a loyal soldier in the General Kirigan-led Second Army. She's an Etherealki soldier, the type of Grisha who has the ability to manipulate the elements. In Zoya's case, she's a Squaller, which means she can harness and control the wind. She's one of the General's most steadfast and loyal soldiers and she was trained at the Little Palace since she was young. At her best, she is ambitious and confident, but that can manifest in arrogance and a large ego, affecting how she treats others. She is cruel and unkind to Alina, especially when the General starts to prefer Alina's company over her own, which leads to Zoya feeling nothing but animosity toward Alina. While serving together, Zoya also had a brief fling with Mal, another point of contention between Zoya and Alina.

Sujaya Dasgupta can be seen in Charlie Hunnam's Apple TV+ series Shantaram, and HBO's I May Destroy You.

Daisy Head as Genya Safin

Daisy Head as Genya in a cropped Character Poster for Shadow and Bone Season 2
Image via Netflix

A fast friend of Alina's when she arrives at the Little Palace, Genya is a Tailor for the Queen of Ravka. As a Tailor, Genya is considered a lower-level Grisha, as she can change a person's appearance. Genya can erase scars, imperfections, and superficial features like eye and hair color. But there's more to Genya than what meets the eye. As it turns out, she's another spy of General Kirigan's. She poisons the King of Ravka in order to not only further the Grisha cause but exact her revenge after enduring years of abuse at the hands of the King and Queen. Genya only conspires with the Darkling for survival and tries to warn Alina about his true intentions, telling her to be careful of powerful men.

Daisy Head can be seen next in the upcoming Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves alongside an all-star cast including Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, and Hugh Grant.

Calahan Skogman as Matthias Helvar

Calahan Skogman as Matthias in a cropped Character Poster for Shadow and Bone Season 2
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Matthias is a Fjerdan soldier watching over prisoners in the ship that has taken Nina captive. Nina derisively calls him a drüskelle, a holy soldier who deliberately hunts down Grisha in order to bring them to (unfair) trial and execution at the Ice Court. Drüskelles believe Grisha are demonic and evil. After surviving a shipwreck with Nina and getting to know her better, everything he's learned about Grisha turns on its head. As the two spend more time together, they fall for each other, but their romance becomes short-lived when Nina has to sell him out in order to save him from execution in Ravka. The last time we see Matthias is in his holding cell and dismissing Nina for betraying him, but since Calahan Skogman was made a regular for Season 2, Matthias and Nina's love is probably not quite over yet. Shadow and Bone is Calahan Skogman's breakout role, and we can't wait to see what the future holds for him.

Lewis Tan as Tolya Yul-Bataar

Lewis Tan as Tolya in a cropped Character Poster for Shadow and Bone Season 2
Image via Netflix

Martial artist Lewis Tan will star as one of the new characters in Season 2, bringing the same badass sensibilities he brings to his roles in Mortal Kombat and Deadpool 2 to his new role in the series. Tan plays Tolya Yul-Bataar, one half of a pair of ruthless mercenary twins and a Grisha Heartrender. He prefers hand-to-hand combat over using his abilities and is skilled with knives. Tolya is from Shu Han and a part of Sturmhond's crew.

Anna Leong-Brophy as Tamar Kir-Bataar

Anna Leong-Brophy as Tamar in a cropped Character Poster for Shadow and Bone Season 2
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Tamar is the other half of the mercenary twins and a Heartrender like her brother, but she's far more inclined to use her abilities than her combat-oriented brother. That being said, axes are her weapon of choice. She is fiercely loyal to Sturmhond and works on his fleet of ships alongside her brother. They are some of the few people who know Sturmhond's true identity. Tamar believes that Grisha abilities are a divine gift, so when she and her brother meet Alina, the world as they know it takes a turn.

Tamar is played by Anna Leong-Brophy, who has previously starred in shows like Traces and Ragdoll before Shadow and Bone.

Patrick Gibson as Nikolai "Sturmhond" Lantsov

Patrick Gibson as Sturmhond in a cropped Character Poster for Shadow and Bone Season 2
Image via Netflix

Nikolai is a swashbuckling young Ravkan prince that goes by the alias of Sturmhond to sail around the world as a privateer. He commands a fleet of ships and a crew that includes twins Tamar and Tolya Kir-Bataar. Nikolai uses his fleet to aid the war effort in Ravka against the pious Fjerdans. Alina and Mal approach him to help her take down the Fold in her fight against the Darkling.

Patrick Gibson can also be seen as Patrick Mitchell in Netflix's mind-bending sci-fi epic The OA, and he also had roles in both The White Princess and The Spanish Princess on Starz.

Jack Wolfe as Wylan Hendricks

Jack Wolfe as Wylan in Shadow and Bone Season 2 Episode 5
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One of the most highly anticipated characters to make the leap from the pages of Leigh Bardugo's books, Wylan is a demolitions expert who joins the Crows for their next heist. Wylan may interact with “people and places and situations that exist in the Grishaverse but not directly in his arc in the book,” according to the actor who plays him, Jack Wolfe. Before Shadow and Bone, Wolfe had a small role in Netflix's The Witcher.

Luke Pasqualino as David Kostyk

Luke Pasqualino as David in a Cropped Character Poster for Shadow and Bone Season 2
Image via Netflix

From the trailers, it looks like we'll be seeing a lot more of David this season. David is the Little Palace's resident Fabrikator, which means he can manipulate anything solid on a molecular level. He's been a longtime crush of Genya, and hopefully, we'll be seeing their romance on screen this season.

Luke Pasqualino is perhaps best known for appearing in Skins (UK) as Freddie and went on to star in shows like The Musketeers, Snatch, Our Girl, and Shantaram alongside his Shadow and Bone castmate Sujaya Dasgupta. He also starred in Bong Joon-ho's Snowpiercer beside Chris Evans.